Love And War
by SylvaDragon
Summary: Oneshot set during the first wizarding war. Albus Dumbledore, leader of the Order of the Phoenix infuriates his friend Minerva McGonagall by giving her missions which she considers to be well below her capabilities - how will she deal with this ? Slightly angtsy, ADMM story.


Love And War

_Set in the 1970s, during the first war against Voldemort._

The members of the Order of the Phoenix sat round the large wooden table, listening intently as their leader, Albus Dumbledore, gave his final instructions for the week ahead. Each one of them had already been assigned a mission. As Albus continued to speak he became increasingly aware that Minerva McGonagall was shooting irate glances at him, as her fingers tiptapped impatiently on the dark wooden table.

Albus sighed softly as he drew the meeting to a close, Minerva was his closest friend and he had no wish to argue with her. He knew she had been becoming increasingly frustrated the last months, and he believed he knew the reason why, after all he couldn't blame her. Ending his speech with the normal entreaties to everyone to stay safe, and be careful, Albus made a beeline for the door, hoping to avoid confrontation with Minerva.

His plans were foiled by Minerva quickly stepping in front of his escape route, and glaring at him with arms folded firmly across her chest.

Albus heaved another slightly deeper sigh, as he realised that he was now alone with Minerva, who was eyeing him much as a lioness might eye some small animal it was intent on devouring. "Was there something you wished to discuss with me Minerva?" He asked courteously.

"I'm more than capable Albus, more capable than most of them ..." Minerva began furiously.

"I know you are, my dear." Albus interrupted softly, as he rested a calming hand on his friend's arm.

"Then why do you insist on only giving me missions which a child could do?" Minerva snarled, as she shook his hand off.

Albus could feel the force of her fury pressing against him. The air in the room began to crackle, and small objects quivered where they stood. Albus ran his fingers through his long white hair, his face creasing in thought. It was true, he did give her missions which he thought were low risk. He could understand her frustration, he really could. He couldn't risk anything happening to her though, she was too precious to him. He wouldn't risk loosing the woman he loved, even though she would probably never know how he felt. "I'm only trying to protect you Minerva." He said gently.

"I'm not one of your students anymore Albus! I can look after myself. I don't need you to be my hero," Minerva said firmly, her face set in determination. "We're in the middle of a war Albus, one that is not going well. We need everyone we can get fighting to the best of their ability - you said so yourself only last month. And, you're stopping me from doing everything I can to help us turn the tide, to help us win! You know that the Order needs people like me, and still you insist on restricting me! At least tell me why? Do you doubt my abilities?"

Faced with her demands for him to explain, Albus was unusually lost for words. He didn't dare confess his true reason to her, she was certain to reject him, and he couldn't bring himself to risk their friendship. Minerva was the only person in the world who had ever been able to have this effect on him, the only one who could turn him into a quivering jelly that struggled to form coherent words. Desperately he tried to calm his breathing, strove to think of an explanation which she would accept, increasingly distracted by Minerva's furiously tapping foot, and impatient glares that demanded an answer. Nothing came to mind, and all he could say was, "Of course I know your capabilities my dear, you were one of my most skilled students. I assure you Minerva, I do not doubt your abilities."

"Then give me more responsibility, give me missions which truly use my abilities!" Minerva demanded.

"I'm sorry Minerva, but I can't agree to your request, I just can't." Albus said, as he tried to controll his emotions and inject some note of authority into his voice.

"I warn you Albus, I won't tolerate this any longer. I will not sit idly by and watch as others fight this war, and you hold me back for some reason you refuse to explain." Furiously Minerva turned and flung open the door, filling Albus with horror at the thought of what she might do in her determination to be fully involved in the war.

Before she could storm from the room, he stepped rapidly towards her, and without thinking wrapped his arms around her waist, drawing her tightly against him. "Please Minnie, don't do anything foolish," he whispered softly, "I don't want to loose you."

To his astonishment, Albus felt Minerva relax against him as her fury drained from her. He could feel her back pressed against him, as he held her. The sudden change from rage to tenderness was captivating, and marvellously unexpected. Dare he hope that she felt something more than friendship for him ? Dare he kiss her ?

His grasp around her waist tightened, as he let his lips rest briefly against her neck. Her skin was softer than he could ever have imagined. When she did not object, as he had half feared she might, he let his lips paint a path up her neck as he turned her swiflty to face him, and kissed her mouth for the first time. He felt like the luckiest man in the world as she responded to his kiss.

Much as he longed to deepen the kiss, Albus also felt that he should not rush things, and so after a few minutes he drew his lips from hers, and gazed questioningly into her eyes. They seemed so much softer than normal, and was that a hint of passion that swirled deep within ? He could scarcely believe that she might love him too. His hand slipped into her's as though it was the most natural thing in the world, and for a time he was lost in her beauty, feeling her skin so soft and smooth beneath his fingers.

He was just thinking of kissing Minerva again, when she broke the silence between them. "Just because you kissed me, doesn't change anything Albus."

His heart lurched at her words. Perhaps she didn't love him. Perhaps it had been just a kiss, that she now regretted. The way her hand still rested lightly in his grasp let him hope that he was wrong, and as he dared to glance into her eyes, he saw the spark of determination that flickered within, he thought he saw tenderness there too.

Albus felt as though his entire life hung on what happened next. Was she about to reject him, to insist that the kiss must never happen again ? He scarcely dared to breath, could find neither words or actions, could only stand and wait, clinging to her hand as though he would never let go.

"I mean it Albus, I want to do my part in this war. I expect you to give me missions which suit my capabilities from now on." Minerva said firmly.

A sigh of relief washed over him, rapidly replaced by determination to keep her safe. He had no intention of loosing her, now that he had found her. Albus realised with a start that Minerva was still speaking. He shook himself, and did his best to focus on what she was saying, instead of remembering that glorious first kiss, tried not to wonder how she felt about him.

"I mean to do my part in this war with or without your help Albus Dumbledore." Minerva stated, If you refuse to give me missions that use my abilities fully, then I will go on my own missions!"

"I forbid it!" Albus gasped in horror.

"I beg your pardon?" Minerva snapped dangerously.

On any other matter Albus might have surrendered at this point, but where the safety of his love was concerned he was determined not to give in, no matter how much it enraged Minerva.

Steeling himself, Albus said in his most commanding tone, "You heard me Minerva. As Leader of the Order I forbid you to do anything so foolish."

There was a second of stunned silence from Minerva, and then an explosion of frustration and fury. "You listen to me Albus Dumbledore, just because I love you does not mean I am going to let you boss me around!" Minerva paused, and glared at Albus, "What exactly are you looking so happy about?"

"You said you love me." Albus said blissfully, his face lit by a huge beaming smile. To his delight and amusement Minerva McGonagall was actually blushing a vivid pink, Albus thought she looked adorable. "You do love me, don't you Minnie?" He whispered, as he lifted her chin so her eyes were gazing into his. Seeing the answer he wanted in her emerald eyes, he placed a tender kiss on her lips, as his fingers flitted tenderly across her cheek. "I've loved you for so long Minnie, I never thought you could feel the same, so I contented myself with your friendship. That's why I've been so determined to keep you safe, I didn't want to loose you."

"Oh Albus..." Minerva murmured, as she rested her head against his chest.

Albus felt her hands slip around his waist, she was so warm and soft against him. Tenderly he kissed her hair, it smelt of fresh lavender and mountain air."Let me be your hero Minerva, let me keep you safe. I know you don't need me to protect you, but I want to anyway. I don't want to loose you now I've found you."

"I don't want to loose you either Albus, I want to keep you safe as well." Minerva said softly, then with a hint of fire in her voice added, "And that's one of the reasons why I want to do my part in this war. How do you think it feels for me to see you go off on missions full of danger while I sit at home and wait for you to return ?"

Albus felt tears sting the backs of his eyes, as he heard the break in Minerva's voice. Desperately he pulled her close. "I didn't know. Oh Minnie I didn't know. I'm so sorry." He whispered sadly.

"Then let me do my part. At least then I feel that I'm not completely powerless, that I don't have to stand by and watch my friends die." Tears were flooding down Minerva's face as she spoke.

"Don't cry Minnie, please don't cry." Albus begged, as he tried to soothe her tears with frantic kisses, and soft hands that brushed them away as fast as they fell. "I was wrong, I see it now. I promise from now on I'll give you proper missions, on one condition."

"What condition ?" Came in muffled tones, from somewhere near his chest, where Minerva's head still rested.

"That I go with you on every mission, and before you protest that I don't trust you, or that you don't need my help, that isn't the reason - it's because it is the only way that I will be able to bear the worry of letting you go into such danger my dear." Albus said with a quiver in his voice.

"Oh Albus..." Minerva whispered, as she lifted her head and kissed him lovingly. When the kiss was over, they clung to each other tightly, each one wondering and fearing what the future would bring, what losses were still to come in this war that they had to fight.

At last Albus spoke softly, "All we can do is live each day as it comes my dear, and each day that we wake up and have each other, we should take joy in that, and believe and hope that when this war ends we will still have each other." Tenderly he placed a gentle kiss on Minerva's lips, then held her tightly as though he would never let go.

The End.

_Now press that ugly bright blue button down there and review, you know you want to. ;) Hope the emotions didn't swing around too much, I could have inserted more humour but I didn't think it fitted, since to me the story is a little angsty. And, I didn't want Minerva doing the whole sappy, 'Oh he kissed me so now I'm going to surrender and accept him giving me easy missions' thing, since that doesn't suit her character in my view. Thanks for reading, feedback will be loved, adored and hugged. ;)_

_Sorry that my story has no pretty pic to go with it, I can't paint or draw, much as I'd love to be able to. If anyone would like to make covers for my stories for me, then msg me. :) Urgh, more changes to get used to, I hate change. ;)  
_


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